Life is busy these days and sometimes we forget to have an intentional impact on our fellow humans for the better. Yet, very tiny actions and subtle variations in approach can produce a positive impact on others, whether directly or in a nonlinear fashion. This concept is commonly known as, “The Butterfly Effect.” For a more scholarly breakdown on the Butterfly Effect, please visit this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect

I believe that you and I possess the ability to have a huge impact on our world via the consistent utilization of small, positive behaviors in daily life. We can create positive ripples in the sea of humanity that will travel far beyond what we will ever see.

The Butterfly Flutter Project aims to encourage humans to impact other humans for the better, via tiny acts of kindness that can have huge impacts. The…

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE pickles! Not only that, but my wife and kids all love pickles! We can go through a jar of pickles in no time. By that, I mean if a new jar of pickles lasts more than an evening in our house, that jar of pickles should consider itself lucky 🙂

The trouble is, the really good pickles tend to cost anywhere between $3.99 and $5.49 per 24 oz jar. So, if you love to eat good pickles, it can be an expensive habit. You can get into canning pickles of course, but it can be a tedious process, expensive if you don’t have canning supplies, and not worth it just to make small batches.

Enter… THE REFRIGERATOR PICKLE!

We have been making these for years and have tweaked our recipe to find the easiest and cheapest way to make super-tasty pickles quickly in small batches at home.

What I am giving you here is my recipe for basic, but very tasty dill pickles. I will tell you some easy variations along the way. Also, I have tailored this recipe for a single batch of pickles made in a common 24 oz pickle, sauerkraut, or similar glass jar that you can reuse from another purchase. That way, you don’t have to spend extra money on a Mason jar.

You will need:

1. White Vinegar

2. Apple Cider Vinegar (this is optional, but I like the subtle flavor it adds)

3. Tap or bottled water

4. Kosher salt (regular table salt will work too if that is all you have)

5. Fresh garlic bulb

6. White sugar

7. Black pepper or pepper corns

8. A small white or yellow onion

9. One large cucumber (3/4 lb-1 lb) or two smaller

10. Fresh dill or dried dill seed

* You will also need a 24 oz glass jar/lid, a sharp knife, small pan, cutting board, one cup measure, and measuring spoons

Step One:

Mix together 6 oz of white vinegar, 6 oz of water, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 1/2 tbsp salt, and 2 1/2 tbsp sugar in a small pan. Heat the solution on medium and stir frequently to avoid scorching the sugar. (If you desire more sweet or salty, adjust the mix according to your tastes. Also, you can use all or part brown sugar instead of white)

quick pickles, step #1

quick pickles- step #1

Step Two:

While the solution is heating up, cut up all fresh ingredients, pack them tightly into the jar, and add the pepper/dill. I like to cut 1/3 of the cucumber into 1/8″ slices and 2/3 of the pickle into spears so I’ll have a mix of finger pickles and pickles for sandwiches. You can cut them any way you like.

Thinly slice about 1/2 of a small onion and chop about 3-4 cloves of garlic. After packing all the ingredients into the jar, sprinkle in 1/2 tsp of ground pepper or pepper corns, then add a few sprigs of fresh dill or 1 tsp of dill seeds.

You can also add a pinch of ground mustard, celery seed, sliced scallions, and/or thyme for complexity.

For “spicy pickles,” all you need to do is thinly slice one jalapeno and put in the jar. You’ll have TASTY spicy pickles that are of a medium heat.

quick pickles- step #2

Step three:

Your pickling solution should be done about the time you are finished putting the ingredients in the jar. Carefully, pour the hot solution into the jar. Make sure the ingredients are all covered with liquid, but leave about 1/4″ of space at the top of the jar. Let the jar cool to room temperature, then put it in the refrigerator overnight or until it is cold. Then, enjoy the best fridge pickles you ever had! Make sure to keep them refrigerated since they are not canned/sealed and not intended for room temperature storage.

Easy Refrigerator Pickles- Luke Austin Daugherty

If you are making pickles in a different sized jar, here is the easy way to judge how much water/vinegar you need to start with. If your jar is tightly packed with cucumbers, you will need about 1/2 the volume of the jar in vinegar/water. So if you were using a 1 qt. jar, you’d need 16 oz of solution total- 8 oz of water and 8 oz of white vinegar. Adjust all other ingredients accordingly.

Another thing you can do when you have eaten all the pickles is just add some more cucumbers to the solution. Since it isn’t hot when the cucumbers are added, you may want to let them sit for a couple days before eating for the solution to work into the cucumbers. The onions that are pickled also end up being very good on hamburgers or plain.

The only real difference between a homeless person and a non-homeless person is a home. People with and without homes can have all the same wonderful personality traits as well as faults, successes as well as failures. Sometimes, people who find themselves homeless may have had great successes at times, but run up against an insurmountable problem that left them on the streets. Other times, addiction may be a driving force. Among all the reasons that a person ends up without a home, that person is just “us” in a different reality. Who knows if the shoe was on the other foot, that you or I would not be in the same situation or worse. Also, some people choose to live a transient lifestyle for more esoteric reasons rather than homelessness befalling them.

Some may protest, “BUT! Many of the homeless have problems and are on the streets because of their addictions to drugs and alcohol!” Sure enough. Some of the “homed” do as well. They just happen to have the luxury of their own roof over their head.

Last week, immediately after leaving the TEDx Indy convention, I met a guy on the street looking for work (honestly) who was homeless. I took him to grab some Steak ‘n Shake and we chatted for a while. I have done that same thing on multiple occasions before. I have never had a bad experience. It is rare for many men and women who find themselves living in shelters and on the streets to have a “homed” person relate to them with no condescension. Relating to a homeless person as your honest human equal is a great gift, not only to that person, but to yourself as it requires personal humility and perspective. What you may find when taking a bit of time out of your life to related to a homeless human is that, not only do you have something to offer them, but that they have experiences and friendship (even if very temporary) to offer you. I have had a few experiences with homeless people during my life that have left a positive, permanent mark on me.

I believe that the small, positive actions we share with our fellow humans can make a huge impact. Please visit my blog site, “The Butterfly Flutter Project,” at the link below for more information on having a direct, daily impact for the better. Also, check out this man sharing his melody on piano in the video above. His talents can brighten your day! Thanks for reading, sharing, and have a wonderful day! -Luke

Please check out my new blog page, “The Butterfly Flutter Project.” It is singular of purpose and intended to inspire people to encourage others in their day to day life. I appreciate you checking it out and sharing! Just click the link below. My main blog here will remain my primary blog and will be updated regularly with new posts, poetry, and articles as always.

Given the current state of authoritarian Cop Culture in the USA, would you expect anything less than this? That being, the wasted use of police resources at the expense of an unjustified arrest to appease the self-important, egotistical whims of an NYPD Transit cop. At the end of the day though, if you escape a run-in with the law in America and don’t end up shot or beaten, you can count yourself lucky. Merely being unlawfully arrested or given an unjustified ticket or fine is nigh to desirable given the experiences that many US citizens have with law enforcement officers (corporate code enforcement servants) in American weekly. There are plenty of dangerous criminals out there, of course. Yet, regular citizens going about their business are often treated as dangerous criminals.

I have personally been illegally searched before under my protest by aggressive law enforcement officers. I give kudos to singer/musician, Andrew Kalleen, for knowing the law, asserting the law, and standing his ground. Though, after he had proven his case, he was still forcefully cuffed and arrested by a chagrined gaggle of cops…

DING DONG! THE WITCH IS DEAD! The appeal by the Pence administration to overturn gay marriage in Indiana has failed. Gay couples MUST be allowed to marry in Indiana 🙂

I am very happy for my fellow Hoosiers who are LGBT and their newly affirmed legal ability to marry. I used to actually be on the other side of this issue. To read my story of what caused me to change my mind, please read this previous blog (and please share):

I also expect the obvious trolling by fundamentalist about how our State has gone the way of Sodom and Gomorrah now, destined to be rained upon by supernatural judgement. Get over it peeps…

By the way, I am an ordained “Universal Life Church” minister and can legally perform marriages in Indiana. If you are an LGBT couple in my area (Central Indiana) and are having a hard time finding a minister to solemnize your marriage, shoot me a message. I would be glad to provide a simple non-religious/secular ceremony for you if our schedules allow. It can be penance for my former bigotry.

Ideas should never be above criticism, particularly religious ones. Though I have great respect for Ben Affleck’s acting and humanitarian work, I have to go with Sam Harris on this debate. Islam not only leaves room for violence and oppression, its texts call for it. I am grateful that a great deal of the adherents to Islam, being around 1 billion in the world, have found a more nuanced way to view and practice their faith. Yet, many Muslims take the fundamental dictates of Islam regarding violence very seriously.

Affleck was impassioned in his challenge to Harris. Yet, his indignation, straw men, and non sequiturs added nothing to his argument.

There are several key points to consider about this issue:

1. Islam is not a “race,” rather, a religious ideology. Ideas are not above reproach or criticism. People deserve protection, rights, and respect. Ideas are made to be tested, discussed, debated, and even ridiculed. To quote Steven Brutus, “Anything that can’t be mocked is dangerous.” No idea, philosophy, or ideology should ever be off-limits from being battered like a pinata to see what ends up falling out, for better or for worse.

2. Islamic religious texts not only allow for violence against non-believers, but actually prescribe it. The portion of Muslims who put those admonitions into actual practice (or just agree with them) are not employing strained or fringe interpretations of those religious texts, but literal ones. For a list of such references, click the link: http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/quran/cruelty/long.html

Not to single out Islam for possessing religious texts with a call to kill unbelievers, as there are plenty of similar verses in the Hebrew Bible & other religious texts. I am no fan of those either. But, it is Islam that is the matter of debate in the video above.

3. Any fundamental and violent faith text or system is an enemy of human progress. ANY text, religious or otherwise, that says, “Kill a person who does not agree with this,” is an abomination to humanity. Any or all texts deserve public condemnation. We should all support religious freedom and also the freedom NOT to be religious. But, that doesn’t include the right to harm, imprison, or kill others for not agreeing with you.

“Keys to Sound Thinking,” is a poster I created to sum up three weeks of homeschooling lessons that I taught my four younger children. I just took a quick picture of it on the wall, so please forgive the imperfect alignment and lighting. I will try to get a scanned version posted asap.